Razor



J. N. GRAEF Dec. 1, 1953 RAZOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1:, 1949 INVENTOR. Jo/zrz 7Z.

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J. N. GRAEF Dec. 1, 1953 RAZOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1949 JNVENTOR. Jolzrz ZZ. Graef BY fim, Giff/1 95 Patented Dec. 1, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to razors and has for its primary object the provision of a new and improved razor of the type utilizing a strip or ribbon type blade that is movable to bring succes sive portions of the blade into position for use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved razor of the safety type utilizing a movable ribbon type blade which can be made simply and inexpensively, is easily and safely handled in use, is not likely to become dirty and covered or filled with undesired deposits in use, and in which successive portions of the blade can be brought readily into position for use.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a new and improved razor and a dis posable shaving head usable therewith.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved shaving head which can be disposed of after use and including a desired length of ribbon type blade, which head can be made and packaged inexpensively so that purchasers of razors including both the head and handle may throw away used heads when the blade has been fully used.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved razor including a disposable shaving head in which the blade is permanently sealed in such manner that only the portion being used is exposed and so that there is little likelihood of the user or anyone else being accidentally cut by the blade. This is particu-. larly true because the disposable head has the blade threaded in its before it is sold to the user,

and, furthermore, because the blade is made with unsharpened end portions which are respectively exposed prior and subsequent to use of the sharpened portion, whereby the chances of anyone being cut are considerably minimized.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide anew and improved razor including disposable shaving head having a length of ribbon type blade and a handle adapted to be readily but detachably secured to the shaving head and including driving mechanism automatically coupled to blade moving means within the head when the head and handle are operatively secured to each other.

Further objects of the present invention, include the provision of new and improved components of a razor utilizing a ribbon-type of blade among which components may be mentioned an operating and'blade moving handle, a shaving head constructed and arranged detachably to be secured to the handle, to be substantially water repellant, and adapted to be thrown away after the blade has been used; and a ribbon type of blade.

In brief, the razor of the present invention is of the type often referred to as a safety razor. It includes a readily detachable handle and shaving head. The shaving head includes a chamber, a shaving portion past which the blade is moved and at which successive portions are exposed for use, the shaving portion being connected to the chamber by entrance and exit portions. The

head is permanently sealed except for the entrance and exit and for a handle receiving opening. The shaving head is rendered substantially impervious to water by filling its interior, or at least portions thereof, with a water repellant material such as silicone grease. The head is also constructed and arranged so that it may be made economically and simply, so that it is compact and may readily be used for its intended purpose. As a matter of fact the head may be made so inexpensively that it may be thrown away after use. Furthermore, the head and blade are so constructed and arranged that prior to use an unsharpened portion of the blade is exposed and after use another unsharpened portion is exposed. These unsharpened portions are of but short length, thus providing. a .greater usable length of blade. The handle constitutes a structural unit including manually operable means for driving the blade, the handle and operating means being so arranged that the operating means is automatically coupled to blade moving means on the head when the handle is secured in place.

Other objects and'advantages of the present inventionwill become apparent from the ensuing description of illustrative embodiments of the invention, in the course of which reference is hadto the acompariying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a razor constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the razor;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross sectional view, the view being taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 isan exploded view illustrating the handle detached from the shaving head and illustrating the interior of the head in a section taken Fig. 9 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a modified form of razor.

Referring now to the drawings, and first particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, it may be noted that the razor of the present invention, which has been indicated as a whole by reference character It, is of the well known safety razor type. It includes, as best indicated in Fig. 4, a separable shaving head l2 and handle 14, both of which are of novel construction, as will appear shortly.

The shaving head His so constructed and arranged that it can be used for a considerable period of time and then thrown away. It includes a strip or ribbon type blade, hereinafter referred to as a ribbon type blade, and which is indicated by the reference character J6. lt 'is preferably sharpened at one edge, as indicated by reference character 18; see Fig. 6, for the major portion of its length. The ends 20 :are, however, unsharpened for, but a short portion, to prevent any likelihood of accidental :cutting prior to and'after use of the entire blade. The blade is also provided with indicia which :may take the form of numbers and which :cooperate with .a notch 22.or other indicia at the front of the shaving head to facilitate proper movement ,of the blade to bring successive portions :into

properposition-for use.

The blade leismounted withing chamber 24 inside the head andwhichchamber maybe called .a blade storage chamber. vIn order to prevent accidental cutting, the blade is permanently and substantially sealed within the chamber. This "results from the fact that the only openings to the chamber'are a handle receiving opening 26 at the-rear of the head andtheopenings 30 and 32 at-the 'frontof the shaving head-which openings may well be defined;as blade entrance and exit, respectively, and which lead to andfrom a shaving portion,34 atthe front .of the shaving head whereat the blade is expose'dffor ,use. Betterto hold the exposed portion of the blade .in tension and to prevent the ingress .of water tothe interior of the chamber, the entrance and .exit .to the shaving portion communicate with the-chamber through curved passageways 36 and 38 of considerable length .and dimensioned closely to receive theblade.

In order to facilitate construction of the blade guiding passages :36 and 38, the passages maybe .formedby arcuate portions ,40 and 42 of a head housing section .44 -.which, together with an 0.1 vposed housing section 48, define -the:head and chamber 24. Section 44 has a peripheral'wall 46 .:including :the aforementioned portions and 42,

a front .wall 48 defining the ,front wall of the cchamber-and a transversely extending support for :the blade 16. The blade passages 36.and;3fi:are defined by the -arcuate wal1:portions:.4fl and .42 :and generally circular inserts -50 and-.52, whose outer walls-are-concentric with theinner walls *of portions 40 and 42. The .inserts, which-may be .made separately for convenience, are mounted uponspaced tubular upstanding supports-54, preferablymade integral withthehousingsection 44. Itmay be well to note at this point that the head can .be .made from some suitable material such as aluminum, magnesium or plastic, plastic being preferred at least at the presenttimeand being used in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 8.

The upper housing section 46 is permanently secured to the lower section. as by cement or the like, after the blade has been :placed inthe chamber 24, as will be described shortly. Proper location and assembly of the upper section on the lower is facilitated by providing the upper section with a downwardly extending annular boss 56 adapted rather closely to fit around an upstanding spindle 58 on the lower section, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter.

The shaving portion 34 at which successive portions of the blade are exposed includes a comb guard 60 with enlarged and forwardly projecting .guidelribs 6| onzthe Iowan-housingsection, and a cooperating downwardly extending flange 62 on the upper section. The latter not only cooperates with the comb, but it serves to hold the ex- ;posed portion of the blade in place during the 3 shaving operation, it defining a blade receiving 'channelwith the support 48.

A-considerable length of blade is mounted in the chamber 24 upon blade supplying and takeupimeans. The blade supplying means may take the form of a spool (54 and the takeup means -may take-the formsofsa spool-'65. :Tfhe spoolsere mounted for rotation about the previously .mentionedspindle 58 andla secondspindle 58 spaced from the former and in zline with the handle. The two spindles are easilyconstructed as .-.integral parts of the :lower housing section .44 :and in f order to provide .a compact assembly holding a considerable length I of blade they .are provided with reversed flanges.

The supply .spool includes a hub-like portion l8 rotatingabout and located by 'the boss 55 in .the iupperhousing section. This provided at its upper end with .a horizontal .flange 32 abutting against the underside of the upper hous- .ing section, .and, in-order to :prevent .dulling of the razor blade, ,thisflange is located so as ,to abut against the -11nsharpened upper edge of the blade. The sharpened edge of the blade may abut lightly ,or bespaced avshort-distance from the bottom of the chamber :24.

The supply and takeup spools .are both .constrainedagainst rotation inreverse-or backward direction by individual one way-clutchingmeans, the one .way clutching means for the supply spool including a helical spring 1.4 having'oneend :16 mounted .in a small opening .in.the -.boss ;56,while the wound portion of the spring bears against the interior of the spool itself. The spring ;is confined within the spool by the ,bossifi andby the end flange 5180f .the spool.

The takeup vspool .66 includes the outwardly extending lower flange :80, the hub portion 82 .and the upper inwardly extending flange v.84 fittingicloselyabout the reduced diameter upper end of spindle 68. The .hub portion is journaled tofitclosely about an enlargedportion 86,at the base of spindle 68. Themovement constraining spiral springBB has one endlil located in. a small opening in" the enlarged portion 86, while the remainder of the spring bears against the in- .teriorof the spool and .-is confined therein by the flange 84.

The movement constraining springs associated with the-supply andtakeup spools assist in hold- .ing the blade-taut and'theyalso serve .toprevent reverse .movementof the blade thereby t0 .preventmovement of .a used portionof the :blade back into position for-use, Thespringsaare so arranged that they release thespools for move- .ment when they are turnedcounterclockwise, :as viewed in Fig.4. The-clutching arrangement also serves :to keep the blade in .its original position after manufacture and before use :by :a person using the razor.

zInorder-to prevent undesired ingress of water and dirt to the chamber 24, the passageways '36 and 38, as well as the portions of the chamber,

near thereto, or if desired, the entirechamber, may be filled with a water repellant material.

such as silicone grease, which is now availableon the market and which includes an antiwetting agent.

In accordance with another feature of the the handle when the two are joined. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, it may be noted that the handle I4 includes a projecting externally threaded portion 92 adapted to be threaded into and secured to the interiorly threaded opening 26. The handle includes also driving means in the form. of a bevel gear 94 adapted to engage blade driving means in chainber 24 when the handle is secured in place. The maximum diameter of gear 94 is less than the minor diameter of threads 92 so that insertion can readily be effected. i

The blade driving means advantageously takes the form of a downwardly facing crown gear 95 formed integrally with the lower flange 80 of the takeup spool. Not only is the construction simple and inexpensive, but the driving means can'be made and coupling effected in a very simple manner.

The blade driving bevel gear 94 is formed at or secured to one end of an operating shaft I rotatably mounted within a sleeve I02 to the exterior of which a fixed handle portion I04 is suitably afiixed as by spaced knurling I00 at the exterior of the tube. The projecting portion of the tube may also have on it the previously referred to threaded portion 92, whereby th handle is secured to the shaving head.

At the outer end of the fixed handle portion I04 of the handle there is located a manually operable blade moving knob I00 which forms in effect a continuation of the handle in so far as appearance is concerned. The knob I08 is affixed to the shaft I00 as by the splines I I0.

In order even more to insure against undesired reverse movement of the razor blade, the operating knob I08 is provided with means constraining it against movement in one direction. This means may take the form of a clutch or a brake, indicated generally by the reference character H2 and including a helical spring II4 en.- circling the enlarged end- IIB of the tube I02. The end N2 of the spring projects into a small opening I in the knob, the arrangement being such that the spring H4 is loosened upon the portion I I6 of the tube when the'knob is turned in the correct direction, counterclockwise, as viewed from'the end. 7

Holding of the razor is facilitated by providing the fixed and rotatable handle portions I04 and I08 with longitudinal grooves I22.

In the embodiment of the invention being described, the shaving head and handle is made of plastic material, which may be transparent in nature. However, and as also earlier indicated, metal may be used for both and a razor utilizing metal has been illustrated in Fig. 9. When the razor is made of metal there is no need for the tubular insert corresponding to tube I02 and the blade moving shaft I00 may be journaled directly in a fixed handle portion I having an externally threaded portion I3I of reduced diameter, adapted to be threaded into and secured to the shaving head. A somewhat different manually operableknob I32 is also used. It includes a reduced diameter portion I34 extending into but spaced'slightly from an opening I36 in the handle portion I30. It is surrounded by a clutch spring I38, having its end I40 secured in'a smallopening in the handle portion I30. In this arrangement as in the earlier described one, reverse movement of the control knob I32 .is'prevented by tightening of the spring I38, this time against the part I34 of the knob. a

From the foregoing detailed descriptionof the invention it may be noted that the razor may be made inexpensively, that it is compact, may be easily handled in use, is safe, and that the. dis- F posable head. may be thrown away after it has served its. purpose. As a result, the head does not become dirty and greasy and covered with deposits as is the case with most safety razors unless they are cleaned thoroughly and frequently.

In the construction of the device the shaving head is made of the two sections, but beforethey are joined and permanently sealed, the blade'is wound upon the supply spool with one end permanently secured to this spool and the other end to the takeup spool, and is threaded through the passages 36 and 38 so that unsharpened portion 20 is exposed in the shaving portion 34. When thus assembled, the housing sections are sealed in a suitable manner and the head is ready for.

shipment. If desired, the chamber, 24 in the head may be partly or entirely sealedlwith water repellant material prior to scaling.

A person desiring to use the razor may obtain both the handle and one or more shaving heads. The head may be easily connected to the handle, all that is necessary being the threading of the handle on the head after which the razor is'ready for use.

To use the razor, the knob I08 is turned to rotate the takeup spool enough to bring the first sharpened portion of the blade into shaving position, this being indicated by the registry of the numeral I with the indicating notch 22. After this portion has been dulled by use, successive portions of the blade may readily be moved into shaving position. Undesired reverse movement of the blade is prevented by the three clutches, two of which are in the shaving head and the third in the handle. The two in the shaving head also prevent undesirable movement of the blade prior to its use and when the razor is not intentionally adjusted to bring a new portion of the blade into position for use. The clutches in the head also serve to keep the blade taut and they are assisted in maintaining the blade taut by the curved construction'of the entrance and exit passages 36 and 38 leading to and from the shaving portion 34. g I

' 'While the present invention has been described in connection with illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood that the details thereof are not intended to be limitative of the invention, except in so far as set forth in the accompanying claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A razor including a shaving head having a chamber, a ribbon type blade in said chamber and movable past a shaving portion where it is exposed for use, said head including a handle receiving aperture having an internally threaded portion, blade moving means in said chamber including a downwardly facing crown gear open to said aperture, and ;a handle having an externally :threaded gportion ;-adapted to be ssecured to :the dihreaded aportionzof said aperture and "including ;manually zrotatable :bevel gear :adapted to mesh 'withisaid crown gear when 'athe;handle is secured tosaidhead.

2. ,a :new :article of ;manufacture, a :dispossable shaving head 'havingra ribbon type :blade :storage chamber and .ashaving portion :at which the blade is exposed having entrance and exit :apertures communicating with said :chamber, a :ribbon blade in .said ;chamber threaded past :said :shavin'g portion through :said entrance and exit apertures, bladessupply and takeup-spools insaid :chamber, .said shaving head being substantially zpermanentl-y sealed except .forv said aperturesand vaakhandle receiving aperture, driving means for said :takeup spool and said takeup i-spool driving -means :communicating withfsaid handle receiving aperture.

3. Armor handle :ior use-with a shaving .head :havingaribbon :type :blade, including a firstporztionradapted detachably .hut fixedly 'to 3 be secured to the head, .a blade "moving portion 1.movably .mounted in and projecting :through one end of :saidzfirst.portion,;means-including cnewayzmovement :constraining means connecting said two :portions whereby said blade moving portion is rconstrained :against movement in one direction, an externally threaded portion at one end .of :said first portionsurrounding at leasta portion -:otthe'projecting partof said'blade movingportion, and a bevel gear secured to :the projecting :part :of said blade moving portion, said gear having amaximum diameterless than'the minor diameter of :the thread.

' :4. vArazorrhandle for use with a-shaving head having arribbon .type iblade, lincluding a first portion adapted detachably but fixedly to be secured to the head, va :blade moving tportion imovably ,a-o

sections secured together tofOrm'a ehambeiyone h of said 'sections-including integral spaced spindles :anda peripheral-side wall and the other including structure engaging said. spindleszandrabutting against said wall, saidzengaging structureinclud- :ing at least one circular boss fittingclosely about I the unattached end of one-of said spindles, a circular enlargement at the base of the other :of said spindles, and blade supply and take-up spools surrounding said spindles, one having' a Joub .fitting closely about said circular boss and the .other a hub fitting closely about said enlargement.

,6, .A ,shaving head including opposed housing &8 sections secured together foo :.form a chamber, one of said sections including integral spaced spindles anda. peripheral sidewall and'the other including structure engaging :said spindles and abutting against said wall, said engagingstructureincluding at least one'circular boss zfitting closely about one of said spindles, a circular enlargement at the base of the other of said spindles, ;flanged blade supply and takeup spoolsrsurroundingsaid spindles, one having a hub:fitting closely about said circular boss and the'other a hub fitting closely about said enlargement, and spool movement constraining :means inside said .spools having helical-portions engaging the hubs of the spools and end portions secured to said boss and enlargement, respectively.

'7. A shaving element 'for a razor of the :type utilizing a ribbon type blade including a =.blade storage'chamber, blade supply and takeup spools mounted in said chamber, said spools having flanges at opposite ends only and said flanges being in overlapping relation, the flange ofithe takeup spool having a downwardly facing crown gear.

8. A razor including a-shaving head having a chamber, a ribbon type blade in said chamber and movable .past a shaving portion where it is exposed for use, said head including a handle receiving aperture, blademoving means in said chamber including a downwardly facing-crown gear open to said aperture, and a handle having an end portion adapted tobeinserted within said aperture and including .a manually rotatable bevel gear adapted to mesh with said crown gear when the handle is inserted within said'aperture.

9. A razor handle for use with a shaving head having a ribbon typezbladaincludinga filStfDOP- tion adapted detachably but fixedly tobesecured to the head,.a blade moving second .portionsmovably mounted on said :first portion, and means including one way movement constrainingmeans connecting said two portions whereby: said blade vmoving portion is constrained against -movement in one direction, said movement constraining means including a member surrounding one =1Of .said portions and having one end-secured to the other of 7 said portions.

JOHN -N. GRAEF.

References cited in the ,file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,231,215 Sterrick June 26, 1917 2,0 2,868 Eckbo Aug.27, 1935 2,053,642 Steinmetzet al Sept. 8, 1936 2,492,292 Jones et a1. Dec. 2'7, 1949 2,561,575 Jensen July 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Number :Country Date 408,616 Great Britain Apr. Ill, 1934 

